San Diego Earth Day presents ...

1996 EARTH Awards

Recognizing contributions to the
environment by groups and individuals

by Julaine Chattaway

e have proof that acting environmentally is good business. San Diego Earth Day's 1996 EARTH (Environmental Achievement and Restoration That Helps) Awards will be awarded to businesses, individuals and - for the first time this year - to a youth project. Master of Ceremonies Ed Begley Jr., actor and environmentalist, will present these awards at San Diego Earth Day's sixth annual VIP (Very Important Planet) Reception to be held on Thursday, April 18th at the Paladion in downtown San Diego.

The evening will begin with a Silent Auction of "Earth-friendly" goods donated to support SDED programs. The auction is set amongst a sumptuous buffet contributed by more than 25 area farms and restaurants involved with SDED's and Mothers and Others "Campaign for Sustainable Food Choices." Contributors to the buffet include: Monsoon, Bayou Bar & Grill, Cafe India, the Golden Door, Scudaloro, Star of India, Kung Food, Laurel, Kashi, Alaska Wild Teas, Fetzer Bonterra Organic Wines, and Earth's Choice Organic Coffees.

This "black-tie optional benefit for SDED is co-sponsored by Solar Turbines, Photomation West and with a contribution from The Nature Conservancy. Tickets are $25 and include valet parking. Make reservations by calling 496-3361.

Green ribbon committee

Approximately 30 companies, businesses, clubs and individuals were nominated. The nominees range from a San Diego semiconductor facility to a Mira Mesa 6th grader, who stopped the rezoning of an area because he noticed it was the home to very rare local wetlands.

The judges include: Scott Murray, a local organic farmer and industrial ecology consultant; Lori Saldaña, Chair of the Executive Committee of the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club; Carolyn Chase, a San Diego Earth Day and Citizen's for Clean Air Policy board member, and San Diego Earth Times editor; Bill Harris, a recycling specialist with the City of San Diego, Department of Environmental Services; and Julaine Chattaway (that's me), San Diego Earth Day Youth Outreach Coordinator. A special thanks is also due to George Story, the key SDED volunteer who contributed many hours in sending out and collecting applications.

The envelope, please

The following organizations have been nominated for an EARTH Award:

BankAmerica, as a founding member of the Recycled Paper Coalition, a network of 140-plus national companies stimulating demand for recycled products. Also, for their in-house waste reduction and recycling program.
Cabrillo National Monument, for protection and restoration of Point Loma's rare and native ecosystems.
Centre City Towing, as the first towing company to use compressed natural gas in their fleet.
S.D. Convention Center Corp., for participating in the nationwide "Green Lights" program, reducing their energy consumption and pollution by saving over 1 million kilowatt hours.
Earth Connections, a retail store in Grossmont Center offering eco-smart consumer choices.
Earth Media/San Diego Earth Times, for its work in public education.
Eidsmoe's R.V. Service Center, Inc., for recycling used oil and running a clean, environmentally-aware shop.
Endangered Habitats League, for building relationships between citizens, conservationists and elected officials to prevent habitat loss and implement regional planning to prevent future endangered species.
Escondido Disposal, who gives composting and worm box presentations to elementaries, giving kids a better understanding about nature.
Grealy & Associates, for providing consulting and inspection services to the organic agriculture industry.
Raul J. Jaquez, an individual that built a solar array at his home to power his workshop where he produces sculptures dedicated to the Earth and Family.
Lotsa Pasta, a Pacific Beach restaurant that has eliminated Styrofoam packaging and paper place mats. They now use recycled napkins and have implemented a strict recycling program.
Mother's & Others' Sustainable Shopper's Campaign, a public education program for the consumer on how to make food choices in the marketplace that are healthy for families and the environment, promoting locally and organically grown food.
Naval Station San Diego, for an aggressive clean-up program for contaminated soil, and for establishing a Restoration Advisory Board.
Naval Public Works Center Transportation Department, for conversion of approximately 1/3 of their fleet - from sedans to tractor trailers - to compressed natural gas.
Resource Conservation District of Greater S.D. County, for working with the community to increase awareness of the importance of protecting our natural resources, with increased efforts in education for youth.
San Diego County Water Authority, for developing a Water Quality Testing Program, training more than 185 teachers to use water kits with their students to test our local waters for pollutants, and for creating a data bank to enter the results.
SDG&E, nominated for three different awards: 1. Their Endangered Species Program that includes environmental protection polices that are unprecedented in the utility industry; 2. Demand-side Management Program, a conservation approach to energy-saving efficiency while saving customers' money; 3. A solid waste recycling program, reducing waste sent to landfills by 90 percent, saving over $500,000.
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc., the first plant in the United States to meet strict new international standards for environmental performance in industry.
Sheffield Platers, for pro-active pollution prevention and employee education with emphasis on holistic approaches. Their new facility doubles Federal agency requirements.
Sony Electronics America, for an advanced recycling program with more than 70 percent efficiency. Also, for development of a retrofit system that takes underutilized waste products and underutilized land and develops an industrial ecology system that grows food organically for consumption by 3,100 employees on site.
United States Postal Service, for a recycling system for undeliverable Business Bulk Mail, cardboard, wooden pallets and office paper, plus an office paper reduction program.
UCSD Waste Prevention and Recycling, for their "Recycle More!" Program that involves participation of half of the faculty and staff, plus an intensive education program and newsletter for staff and students.

Youth Category

Chaparral High School was nominated for two awards, 1. The at-risk students have adopted an inner-city elementary (Rowan Elementary) for the Teen Friends program in which they teach younger kids about the environment and provide mentoring opportunities; 2. A recycling program that in the last 5 years has grown by 80 to 100 percent, cutting trash pick-ups by over 50 percent.
Chula Vista Junior High, whose ecology club organized the Community Action Committee, set-up a campus recycling system and began a county pilot program to establish carpools for students. This is the only school testing for air pollution.
Brian M. Parrish, an individual youth, who as a 6th grader not only learned about rare vernal pools, but informed others about their local existence. This included San Diego City Planners that had planned development of the land. Because he cared enough to write a letter and follow-up, this 14-acre site in Mira Mesa will not be developed and is now the site for a Nature Learning Center for area schools.

These nominees, from big corporations to individuals, prove that striving to be on the cutting edge environmentally is a powerful impetus for creating innovative technologies, products, processes and jobs. These people working to improve our local environment contribute greatly to improving and preserving our quality of life. We at San Diego Earth Day sincerely appreciate their efforts and encourage others to see what they can do to in their own lives to make a positive difference on this planet. Together, we CAN do it!

Please join us and meet these local innovators on April 18th from 6 to 9pm.